Properties

Defining and organizing the properties of an application's components are a key part of evolving toward a more data-centered design. Commands such as Options, Info, Summary Info, and Format often describe features that can be redefined as properties of a particular object (or objects). The Properties command is the common command for accessing the properties of an object; when the user chooses this command, display a secondary window with the properties of the object.

Note
For more information about property sheets, see Chapter 8, "Secondary Windows."

Defining how to provide access to properties for visible or easily identifiable objects, such as a selection of text, cells, or drawing objects, is straightforward. It may be more difficult to define how to access properties of less tangible objects, such as paragraphs. In some cases, you can include these properties by implication. For example, requesting the properties of a text selection can also provide access to the properties of the paragraph in which the text selection is included.

Another way to provide access to an object's properties is to create a representation of the object. For example, the properties of a page could be accessed through a graphic or other representation of the page in a special area (for example, the status bar) of the window.

Yet another technique to consider is to include specific property entries on the menu of a related object. For example, the pop-up menu of a text selection could include a menu entry for a paragraph. Or consider using the cascading submenu of the Properties command for individual menu entries, but only if the properties are not easily made accessible otherwise. Adding entries for individual properties can easily end up cluttering a menu.

The Properties command is not the exclusive means of providing access to the properties of an object. For example, folder views display certain properties of objects stored in the file system. In addition, you can use toolbar controls to display properties of selected objects.